Just a Moment
by Deluded Visions
Summary: A midseason 3 ficlet. Simply a moment between 2 characters.


**Just a Moment**

Summer stood outside the glass doors of the poolhouse. The pain in her ass that was Cohen had gone missing. Seth was meant to meet her at the crab shack for lunch 30 minutes ago but after 20 minutes of sitting there looking like a loser, she'd had enough and had stormed over here. He was nowhere to be found in the main house so she assumed he'd be in here. He was always hanging around Ryan whenever there was a chance, heck if she didn't know better from personal experience she'd say he was gay! She knew of at least 2 times when Seth had accidentally walked in on Ryan changing!

She stepped tentatively inside.

"Ryan?"

No answer.

"Cohen?"

Just then she heard a small noise beside the bed, a rustling. Someone was down there on the floor.

On the verge of one of her famous rage blackouts she stomped over to the bed. "That's it Cohen…" she trailed off surprised to see Ryan. She should have expected it was him. It was of course _his_ living quarters but what the heck was he crouched down on the floor like a Cohen?

He was sitting forlornly on the carpet, slumped against the bedspread, legs eagle spread.

Looking up she nearly shivered as his blue eyes seemed to pierce her soul. He just looked _so_ sad. He could pull of the saddest puppy dog eyes, he was a contradiction in the making. He was Chino, a hardass. Yet with that look he was giving her right now she just wanted to put him in her lap and pet him.

She sat down next to him and smiled sweetly.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to disturb you, I was looking for Seth, he's gone AWOL."

Ryan met her gaze, "Sorry I don't have a clue where he is" he answered softly.

Summer bit her lip, worried. She had never seen Ryan so down. And she'd seen him down and out plenty of times, heck he was perkier just after Marissa had nearly murdered his brother.

"What's wrong" she prodded, gently.

She wasn't much with the consoling, admittedly she wasn't the type for deep & meaningfuls at all. But Ryan was one of her best friends and right now he needed her. They hadn't actually really had the chance to ever have an in depth conversation alone. Ryan hardly talked as it was besides Seth was always hanging around. Still this was Ryan, one of 2 peas in their 4 pea'ed pod!

Ryan bowed his head and then gave her a look that said it all, "Marissa" they said in unison.

Summer rolled her eyes. She did not know what Coop saw in that public school loser.

"I'm so sorry Ryan. I want you to know I'm totally on your side. Marissa may be my best friend but she is a total dumbass. Ugh Johnny, he's even scrawnier than Seth if that is even possible and he has such girlish features. Marissa and him could so be twins, ew..." She trailed off as horrific images overtook her brain. THAT image she did not need.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the edges up Ryan's mouth faintly turn up. She grinned, at least _he_ was feeling better.

Resting her hand on his leg to comfort him she was shocked, literally. Thousands of fire ants seemed to travel up and through her arm, like some weird chemical reaction. She quickly glanced at Ryan but he didn't appear to acknowledge anything. It was like in one of those cheesy Mills & Boon novels she owned, the 'electric touch'. She went to remove her hand but stopped and instead slightly dug her well-manicured nails into his well-defined leg. Her eyes travelled over Ryan, really taking him in for once. He smelt like a mixture of engine oil & apples. His golden hair spiked, all messed from a recent shower. Her gaze wandered down his muscular arms and lingered over his wife-beatered chest. The thin fabric perfectly outlined his manly physique. The muscles taut and teasing her. She looked up before she went any further and withdrew her hand quickly. Shaking the image from her head she stood up quickly, a rush of blood from the action making her feel faint. Well at least that's the explanation she reasoned by.

Ryan struggled to his feet, grabbing her arm. "Are you okay" his big blue eyes beseeched her reassurance. She shook his arm off before she received any other strange electric current or worse still, she gave in to it and heaven forbid jumped him right there and then!

"I better go find Cohen. And once I do I'll be opening up a can of whoopass."

Ryan bowed his head "Thanks Summer" he smiled shyly.

Playing it innocent, she battered her eyelashes "For what exactly?"

Ryan gave her a knowing look and she grinned despite herself. He _had_ felt it. It wasn't just her.

"See ya Chino" She purred, and with that spun around and sauntered off, wiggling her hips as she walked.

Ryan raised his hand in a half wave and smiled. But instead of the wave of a resigned sad goodbye like usual, it was quite the opposite, a welcoming of change & new comings.


End file.
